Saved By Grace

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

No one will question that it is by "grace" that we are saved, but the bible also says that it is by grace "through faith" that we are saved. Both are necessary. This verse is commonly explained in this way; that while we are saved by the "grace of God" is through the faith we employ that the grace arrives. Or you can think of it as the pipeline through which the grace travels. For example, when drinking from a garden hose, no one would say their thirst was quenched by the hose, but by the water it delivers. The hose contributes nothing to the wonderful attributes of the water, yet it is nevertheless required. The concern is always that by saying one needs to exercise faith to experience the grace of God we are adding our works to what God alone can do.

It is important that we understand a certain aspect of faith. It is more than saying "I am in the faith" or "I believe Jesus is the Son of God." Heb. 11 makes it clear that faith is more than something we keep in our hearts to protect and maintain in hope that it will grow. Faith DOES things. Look at the powerful verbs (action words) used in Heb. 11.
Heb 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

God has given us faith so that we may do something. Faith enables us to operate in the spirit realm. Eph 1:3 says that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. There are times we need to call out to heaven for these blessings, times such as sickness, financial need or times when we just need to walk in our spiritual calling. Consider this: If you were to ask me to get you a glass of water, I would walk to the kitchen with my feet and pick up a glass with my hand. It is the same way in our spiritual life. When someone needs a spiritual drink my earthly hands and feet are of no use. Only by faith can we handle spiritual things. I need to call on my (exercised and ready) faith to minister the word of God and allow the grace of God to operate through me.

God has given us faith so that we may do something. But, without Him we can do nothing. This is the mystery of grace.